Secrets and Lies
by Inevitabilities Kill
Summary: In the infirmary, Dean’s encounter with Glocker did more damage then he let on. Will he be willing to let Sam help before it’s too late? Not a deathfic. Hurt!Sick!Dean Protective!Worried!Sammy. UP FOR ADOPTION
1. Chapter 1

Tag to Folsom Prison Blues. RR much appreciated. I will update as soon as possible.

Not a big fan of wincest/slash so there will be none. Sorries.

_---_

The drive home was painfully silent. Lost in their thoughts, none of them had anything to say. I was a long hunt and all they wanted to do was find a decent motel to crash. The awkwardness finally caught up to Dean. He reached over and pressed the play button, hoping that whatever was in the cassette player would subside the feeling. _Killing Moon.__Great._

Sam turned his head to the passenger window, looking aggravated, but more thankful that Dean tried to keep from getting too quiet. Even though they deserved a pat on the back after they saved Deacon's prison, it wasn't something they'd normally talk about. He watched trees pass by and wondered where they were heading. He had lost track of time but a stubborn feeling inside him stopped him from looking at the digital clock in the car.

"So…" Sam said, expecting Dean to start a conversation.

"Uhh...So…how about we pull over at the next motel? You tired?" Dean tried to keep his voice calm. He figured that once they got settled in a motel, he could check over his chest, which he could now feel the heat radiating out of, his shirt stuck to his chest from sweating.

"Yea, sounds great," Sam felt kind of upset when he realized the conversation didn't last very long.

They drove past a motel with neon vacancy signs. Dean immediately pulled in. "I'll go check in." He headed for the main, realizing chest was aching more than he could bear. He looked back to see his brother fiddling with something while sitting in the Impala.

_---_

Inside the office there was an old woman half his size. The room was uncomfortably warm and the smell of medicine was making him gag. She was watching an infomercial with her back turned to him.

Dean coughed, trying to catch her attention politely. _Come on lady, turn around!_ Dean was getting nauseas. He coughed louder and the lady turned around.

"What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to check out a room…two beds," _Two beds. If I forgot that…_

"That'll be $49.99 a night. Is that alright?"

"Great," He forced a smile and pulled out his wallet. There was a grip of credit cards and his eyes scanned for one he liked. He yanked out Visa card and gave it to her.

The woman looked at the card. "Dustin Bumwhackit?"

Dean looked up at her. All he could do was nod and smile. _Fucking Sam._ She swiped the card and handed it back to him along with a key. "All done. Hope you feel right at home."

_ Home?_ That word slapped him in the face. "Of course." He took the keys and left.

"24!" he yelled at Sam, who was still sitting in the car. Dean slowly made his way to his car to get his stuff.

Sam got out and opened the back trunk. He grabbed his bag and tossed one at Dean, who was still making his way over. The bag hit Dean square in the chest and he groaned heavily.

"You alright?" Sam looked up at his brother. He face was ashy and he looked like he was about to pass out.

"Always," Dean said and headed to their room. He opened the door and switched on the lights. The room was a pale green. The carpet was a pale green. The bed sheets were a shade of pale green. Dean face turned a pale green.

Sam walked in after his brother with their bags. "Whoa," was all that he could manage to slip out as he closed the door behind him.

"Yea, I know..." Dean decided to ignore it. Hell, he was way too tired to have some color throw him off. All he wanted to do was take a shower and go right to sleep. He dropped his bag on the floor and unzipped it. "I'm gonna grab a quick shower." He took some clothes from his bag and threw it over his shoulder.

"Alright," Sam said, already settling into his bed. "I think I'm just gonna go to sleep." He pulled the sheets over the top of his head. "So freaking tired," he muffled under the covers. Sam stretched his lanky frame in the bed and gradually fell asleep.

_---_

Dean went into the bathroom and locked the door. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and barely recognized himself. Dark circles were already forming under his eyes. Dean quickly remembered the incident in the prison. He carefully took off his leather jacket and let it drop. Dean unbuttoned the collared shirt and pulled it off. He lifted up his damp shirt to reveal his throbbing chest. It looked like a horrible burn with scabs already forming. Of course, it felt much worse than it looked; and it looked pretty bad to start with. He examined more closely. His skin had a cloudy, puss like fluid draining from the wound. _Infection. Joy._ The edges of the burn were bright red and he could already feel his chest swelling.

Dean started the shower, thinking he'd just clean up his chest and avoid having Sam being all stressed out. He let the shower run awhile before he climbed in the tub, letting the hot water kill his stress.

_ Can't let Sam find out. I can handle this; Sam has enough to worry about .I-I just won't tell him. He doesn't need to find out._

Although he knew his chest was infected, that was the least of his problems. Deep in his gut, he could feel his heart weakening, struggling. Not again.

_---_

Dean got out of the bathroom and checked the clock that was sitting on the bed stand. 10:28. He absent-mindedly rubbed his soar chest and shuffled through his bag, looking for some painkillers. Frustrated, he went over to Sam's bag, which was way more organized, and found some in a side pocket. He took 4 and swallowed them dry. Dean climbed into bed, exhausted and turned off the lamp on the nightstand.

TBC...

_---_

Sorry this is so short. I promise I'll try to make it longer next time. Writing certainly does not come easily and naturally to me.


	2. Chapter 2

Hmm. Still raining out. The flashflood warnings are beginning to get on my nerves. I missed a part Family Guy because of those damn warnings. Jeez. Anyways, here's the second chapter. Hopefully it doesn't turn out so short like the other one. ) I'm listening to Pain by Three Days Grace right now.

---

_3 Days later…_

He felt the warmth of the sun's rays through the thin slivers of the blinds. Sam's senses slowly came to him one by one. He brushed his hair from his eyes and grabbed the alarm clock. 11:31. He clumsily put the clock back and sat up. He looked across at his brother who was still fast asleep. _I wonder what time he went to sleep last night. How long can a guy sleep?_ Sam shrugged at the thought and swung his long legs over the edge of the bed. He stood up, joints popping, and dragged his feet to the bathroom.

---

Sam turned on the fosit and washed his face. He grabbed a toothbrush that was in the cabinet and some toothpaste. Brushing his teeth, he stared at his face in the mirror. His hair was messy and he looked tired, but other than that, he felt fine.

Sam got out of the bathroom and found his brother, still snoozing. He found a note pad and a pen and quickly sketched down:

_Going to get something to eat. Call if you need anything_

He took the keys from Dean's leather jacket went out, shutting the door as softly as he could.

---

Sam drove and drove, careful of where he was going, and found a liquor store. He went in and browsed. He grabbed some chips, beer, and peanut M&Ms for his brother and paid with the many fake credit cards he owned. Sam headed back, his mind blank. He made it back to the motel in about ten minutes, surprised that Dean hasn't called yet. Sam went back into their room with a bag of food.

"Morning sunshine," he said and crammed the food on the little table provided. When he didn't seem to receive an answer, he became a little concerned. "Dean? You alright?" Sam made his way to his brother's bed.

Dean was pulled from unconsciousness by his brother's voice. He opened one eye and saw Sam's face staring back at him. "A little personal space would be nice," he croaked, not recognizing his own voice. He sat up and looked at Sam.

"Sorry, you were sleeping for a really long time and…"

"Yea, whatever dude," Dean sounded annoyed. He made his way to the bathroom and felt his brother's eyes following him. Dean shut the door but didn't lock it, trusting that Sam wouldn't but in. He swayed and tried to fight the dizziness that almost won him over. The pressure on his chest was now searing pain. Dean leaned against the bathroom wall and waited until the black spots in his vision were gone. Suddenly, a blowing forced knocked the wind out of him, causing him to double over. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and groaned loudly. Clutching his heart he stumbled backwards and fell to the tile floor and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

---

Sam opened a bottle of beer and sat on his bed. He reached for the remote and turned it on. He surfed through the channels. Sam took a long chug of his beer and looked at the bathroom door, curious of why Dean was in there for so long. He was about to take another sip when he heard his brother cry out and then a loud thump.

Sam leaped from the bed and dropped his beer on the floor. He jerked opened the door to find his brother on the floor, lifeless. "Dean!" Sam cried. He quickly pulled his brother out of the bathroom and laid him onto the carpet of the room. "Oh, God," he whispered. Dean's head lolled to the side as Sam felt for a pulse. Nothing. It didn't take long for Sam's survival skills to kick in. He lifted Dean's chin and delivered to breaths. Sam placed the heels of his hands on the center of Dean's chest and began compression. "1…2…3…4…" he whispered. "Come on Dean, don't you die on me!" Tears streamed from his face. "…27…28…29…30…" he plugged Dean's nose and breathed twice, checking for a pulse. None. "No,no,no. Come on Dean." He began compressions again. "12…13…14…" _Please Dean, I need you._ "…28…29…30" Sam lifted Dean's chin and gave two breaths.

Dean wheezed, barely enough for Sam to feel relieved. Dean's glossy eyes fluttered. Sam scooped his brother's limp form up and gently laid him down onto the nearest bed. Dean's skin was pale and clammy and he was sweating profusely.

"Sam…" Dean gasped.

"Shhh. I'm right. It's ok," he whispered, stroking Dean's matted hair.

"Hurts…" He shut his eyes closed tight.

"Uhh, let me get you some aspirin…" Sam's voice trailed off as he hustled to their bags. Shuffling through, Sam pulled out a tiny packet. He ripped it opened and threw the trash on the floor. "Here," he handed Dean 2 tablets of aspirin.

Dean opened his eyes and peaked at the pills that his brother offered him. "4," he managed to say.

"Sorry Dean, we ran out. I'll go buy some later. Just take these for now," he helped Dean sit up and handed him a bottle of water.

Dean popped the pills in his mouth and sipped the water.

"You alright?" Sam become more concerned as he saw the pained expression on Dean's face. _Man, I've been asking him that a lot._ He laid his brother back down. "Get some rest dude. You look like shit." Sam expected some kind of smart ass comment but only heard a soft moan.

---

Once Sam was sure that Dean was asleep he went outside and called Bobby.

"Singer," Bobby said in a gruffly voice.

"Bobby?"

"Sam, you know what time it is?"

Sam stayed quiet.

"Dean ok?" _Rhetorical question. Why the hell would Sam call otherwise?_

"BobbyINeedYourHelpDeanJustHadAHeartAttack," he said in one breath.

"Sam, slow down son. What's going on?" Bobby tried to stay calm. As much as he seemed to not care, he felt responsible. After John had died-hell, ever since the two were born, Bobby was like a father to them.

"Dean had a heart attack. I don't know what I should do, you know, with Hendrickson still on our tail, I don't think I could take him to the hospital even if it was serious." Sam hoped that Bobby had something, he always did.

"I don't know Sam. I'll see what I can do. I'll call you back later." he sighed. Bobby hated not being able to help.

"Ok, thanks Bobby," he said and hung up.

---

TBC...

---

Don't worry, I'm still going...


	3. Chapter 3

Here's chapter 3. I realize that these aren't very long. I'm making it up as I go along. Props for people who post chapters that are long as hell, I mean, come one. I didn't know it would be this hard to write a story. I might just stick to reading them. I'm trying to finish this-not that I'm close to finishing-as much as I can before school starts. Which on Monday. Today is Saturday. Yup. Oh I'm listening to I'm Not Alright By Sanctus Real.

---

Sam got back into the room and check up on his brother._ What the hell is on? Maybe Roy wasn't a very good faith healer._ Sam pulled the covers over Dean's shoulders and sighed. He looked around, finding something to kill time. _Food_He almost forgot how hungry he was. He quietly opened a bottle of beer and remembered about his first one._ Where's my beer?_ He went around the room and into the bathroom looking for that damn bottle and saw it on the floor near his bed._ Great._ Sam picked it up and placed it on the table. He grabbed the new bottle and the bag of M&Ms and sat down on his bed. Sam stared at his brother, puzzled.

Dean stirred under the covers, pulling him back to reality. Sam didn't want his brother catching him stare so he took out his laptop and decided to help Bobby. He searched up every website possible but found nothing that he needed.

"Morning Samantha," Dean said, struggling to sit up.

The voice startled Sam. He looked up to see his brother awake and ran over to help him.

"Dude, I got," he said in a grumpy voice. "I'll go grab a quick shower and…" he looked at Sam who was holding a bag of M&Ms and crinkled his eyebrows. "…why are eating my M&Ms?"

"Dean, you feeling ok?" he asked curiously. Something was obviously wrong.

"Well, now that you've mentioned it, my neck hurts like a bitch. I think I have whiplash or something," he said massaging the back of his neck.

"Really? How bad?" Concern was written all over his face. He placed his hand over Dean's neck to examine. Dean chuckled and sighed. "What?"

"I was kidding, dude. Chill. Like I said, I'll go take a shower now." He went over got a pair of clean clothes and went into the bathroom, shutting the door.

"You're a jerk, you know that?!" He raised his voiced through the door.

"Bitch!" Dean yelled back. "Oh, and you better not eat all those M&Ms!"

Sam cracked a smile and went back to his laptop.

---

Dean took off his shirt and examined his chest. Nothing looked worse, except for the huge burn mark on his chest. He was proud of himself for not letting Sam find out. The wound was still infected. With the back of his hand he felt his forehead but couldn't tell if he still had a fever. It was bound to get worse. _Maybe if I just had a bite to eat I'll get better._ His chest was aching more than ever. He looked in the mirror. His eyes were glassy and dull. _Better take that shower before Sam comes in and finds out._ He turned on the shower and took of his pants and undies.

---

Dean came out of the bathroom squeaky clean. "I'm starving! Where's that bag of…" his eyes scanned the room and found a bag of M&Ms, empty. He picked up the bag and eyeballed Sam. "You ate all the M&Ms?"

"Sorry I was hungry." Sam said still on his laptop.

"I told you to save some for me," he said and lifted the bag upside-down, shaking it just to show Sam it was all gone. He put on a puppy face and stared at Sam with his saddest face. His lower lip quivered and he looked like he was about to cry.

Sam looked up at Dean and his heart melted. He chuckled, "Fine, Dean. I'm sorry I ate all the M&Ms. I'll go buy some right now. You happy?" He shut his laptop and grabbed the car keys.

"Wait. I'm coming with you. Let's go to a diner."

"Uhh, alright," Sam said heading for the door.

"Wait, I gotta pee." He ran for the bathroom door.

"Didn't you just take a shower? I mean you should have just peed…" Sam was answered by a bathroom door slam. "I'll be in the car!" Sam yelled. He shook his head and went outside. He knew that he and Dean had to talk about it sometime. _I'm not stupid Dean. There's something clearly wrong with you._

---

Dean went into the bathroom and closed the door. He rubbed his chest. The pain was unbearable. He shut his eyes tight._ I'm gonna pass out. __Again._ He exhaled the breath he didn't even know he was holding. Taking a deep breath he washed his face and flushed the toilet, just in case. _Showtime_.

---

They drove up at a fast food diner type place. Dean walked behind Sam, just in case his chest started hurting again. They sat at a corner of the diner and a waitress greeted them. "How are y'all doing today? What can I get you boys?" she said as she handed them menus.

"Uhhh," Dean glanced at the menu. "I'll get a double cheeseburger combo and a coffee. Black." She shut the menu and gave it back to her.

She scribbled the order down on her little notepad and turned to Sam. "And for you sir?"

"Tea, I'll get and double cheeseburger too, but with a coke."

"Alrighty! I'll be right back with your orders in a jiffy." She wrote down Sam's order, took his menu, and went off.

"So, what's the lead?"

"Well, I'm still looking. Everything seems fine," he lied.

"So you sure you're alright?" he asked more aggressively this time. Luckily for Dean, the annoying waitress came back with 2 plates, a coffee, and a coke. She placed them carefully on the table. "Enjoy." She said and left.

Dean started wolfing down the burger, making Sam loose his appetite. Dean looked up at Sam, who just played around with his fries. "What's the matter? Aren't you hungry?" he said with food still in his mouth.

"Dean," Sam said. He needed to get the facts straight.

Dean swallowed the rest of his burger and sipped some coffee. He took a napkin from the dispenser and wiped his mouth.

"Dean, what's going on with you?"

"You really want to know?" Dean said, looking up. Sam thought about it for awhile. _No shit, Dean._

"Yea. Dean, tell me what's going on."

"I think…huh…" he paused. "I think I'm dying."

"W-What? Dean! Are you serious?! From what? When did this happen?! How could you not tell me?!" He was so furious yet scared at the same time.

"Whoa, calm down." Dean whispered.

"Calm down?! Dean, why didn't you…"

"Shh!" Dean warned Sam, looking around to see if anyone had noticed. "I think it has something to do with my heart…again."

"Well, yea! You had a fucking heart attack this morning!" He slammed his hands of the table and stood up. Everyone in the diner turned and looked at him. Dean took out a 50 and left it on the table, dragging Sam out.

---

They were silent all through the drive back to the motel. They opened the door and went inside. Sam shook his head and paced back and forth while Dean sat on the bed. He broke the silence.

"Sammy?" Dean could feel Sam's anger rubbing off.

"How bad is it?" He wasn't angry, just worried and scared. He couldn't lose his only brother again.

Dean's eyebrows shot up. "You're not gonna say something like," in a mimicked, annoying voice, "Why didn't you say anything Dean? You're my brother and I love you. You're a selfish bastard, you know that?"

"Dean." He said in a demanding tone. Dean sighed.

"It hurts Sam. I don't know if I could take this anymore." Sam went over and sat next to his brother. He bit his lip.

"You think it has something to do with that reaper?" Dean stood up and paced.

"No, Sam… I think it has something to do with Glockner."

"Y-You mean with Deacon? D-Did Glockner…" They filled in the blanks.

"Yea, Sam," he finally said. It got quiet for a minute or so. He waited awhile, both brothers speechless. Sam stared at the ground. "I'm screwed." Sam looked up at Dean.

Dean stopped pacing. He just stood there, his face suddenly drained into a deathly pale. He exhaled loudly. Mindlessly, his hand rubbed at his chest.

"Dean?" Sam looked worred.

Dean's face was masked with pain. He shut his eyes. He started to take some steps back, trying not to lose balance. Then it hit him. His chest had enormous force on it. "Aghhh!" Dean grunted as he doubled over, grasping his chest.

"Dean!" Sam was by his side in an instant. He laid his brother down flat on his back. "Dean, hold on."

Dean's eyes slowly rolled back, no matter how hard he tried to fight it.

"Stay with me!" Sam shook his brother by the shoulders. Dean's eyes focused on Sam's. Sam checked Dean's pulse. "Too fast, Dean," he put a hand on Dean's chest.

"Agh…" Dean gasped out. "Sam…my heart…" He tensed up and relaxed abruptly. "Sam…" he whispered and lost consciousness.

"Dean…Dean?" Sam put his ear on Dean's chest.

_Thump…Thump…..……thump.._

The world around him came crashing down. "No, Dean," he shook his shoulders gently.

---

TBC...

Hope you enjoyed. I think this is going to be much more than a drabble...Sanctus Real rocks my socks


	4. Chapter 4

Umm here is the next chapter. I lost count so I'm not going to number it. So, I'm listening to Say This Sooner by The Almost. Awesome band. Update is gonna be slow after this because of school. So please don't get mad. You may have heard that Supernatural is going to be replaced by Reaper on Feb.28 ( Goodbye to the best show ever made. Oh and song just ended. I'm listening to Fire of Unknown Origin by Blue Oyster Cult. You might have recognized it when Dean sings it after he puts that spoon in Sam's mouth when he was sleeping. Ok. Here goes nothing.

---

_Thump………Thump……………………………_

Sam lifted Dean's chin and put his ear to his brother's mouth, desperately searching for some kind of breath, anything. Nope. He put the heel of his hands on the flat part of Dean's chest and began compression. _Not again. Come on Dean, I can't do this without you. I can't do this alone._

Dean's eyes remain shut, lips parted, skin cold. His chest rose and fell as Sam pumped two more breathes into a pair of lungs that were no longer functional."Come on Dean, please. I need you." _Sam? What's going on? _"Please Dean. Don't you die on me."_ I'm alright Sam. Don't worry._ Tears rolled down Sam's cheek as he continued compression on Dean's chest. His arms ached but that was overcome by the fact that his brother could die in his arms any second. The tears streamed down his face and dropped onto Dean's face. _Why you crying Sammy? I'm just tired. Give me some sleep and I'll be fine._

Sam pinched Dean's nose and blew in two more breathes. He check for a pulse. Nothing. The world came crashing down. Again. Dean's lips turned a shade of blue. The circle under his eyes became noticeably purple. Sam took his hands off of his brother's fragile chest. He lost all hope. "Dean," he sobbed loudly. _Sam? Something's wrong with Sammy. __Gotta wake up.__ Wake Up…._

Sam laid his head on Dean's chest and let his tears flow. After what seemed like an eternity, Sam thought he heard a soft wheeze. He lifted his head and watched his brother's chest that now rose and fell slightly. "Dean!" Sam shook his brother by the shoulders.

Dean let out a quick gasp that seemed miles away. His eyes fluttered and he fell into a painful coughing fit. Sam supported Dean's back as he helped him sit up. Dean's coughs came out wet and raspy; each causing spasms throughout his upper body. His skin restored its color.

Sam gently rubbed his brother's back until outbreak became nothing more than a wheeze. "You alright Sammy?" Dean panted; his eyes half closed.

_Am I alright?_ Sam didn't want to start a fight with his brother who was still so frail. He ignored the question. "Let's get you on the bed Dean." He stood up and slowly hoisted his brother by his underarms. Dean let out a soft whimper as it aggravated his chest. Once he was on his feet, a swift of dizziness swarmed over him. His vision tilted and so did he, or at least he would have had not Sam's chest been there to keep him upright. "Easy, Dean," Sam wrapped an arm around Dean's waist and pulled his brother's arm over his shoulder. Dean slumped forward, leaving Sam to carry his dead weight. Sam lowered Dean onto the bed, sitting him upright against the headboard. He took a pillow and placed it behind Dean's back. Sam kneeled next to the bed and began to examine his ill brother.

Sam put the back of his hand on Dean's flushed cheeks. "Dean, you're burning up." _What's wrong with him now? Maybe it's just a side effect. He defiantly has a fever, but from what?_ "Dean, you remember eating anything bad?" Sam looked at his brother who was once again asleep. He slept with his head resting on his shoulder. Sam lightly tapped Dean on the cheek. "Dean, don't go to sleep yet buddy."

"…not sleeping…" Dean muttered, his head still sitting on his shoulder.

"Dean, you have a fever. You know how you could have gotten it?" Sam began checking his brother. _It might not be something he ate or I'll have it too._ Sam pulled up Deans pant legs searching for some kind of injury. He made his way up Dean's shirt and unbuttoned it.

Hidden under Dean's shirt directly over his heart was a grotesque display of massive burns. Some parts of the skin were draining yellow pus. _You could check that off the infection check list._ Other places leaked a brownish-red thick fluid. _Check._ Scabs and charred flesh extended deep into tissue. The edges of his wound had a reddened puffiness look to it._Another check._

"Dean! Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?!" Dean crinkled his face at the intensity of his brothers voice. "Y-You could have…y-you s-should have…Dean," Sam stared at the injury.

Dean looked at his brother and felt the worry and frustration that seemed to pour out of his brother. "Sam, I-I didn't want you to worry."

_Worry?! Dean, I'm WAYY past worrying. How is this supposed to help me?! Why do you always hide these things from me?!_ "I know," he whispered, surprised of what just came out of his mouth. He looked up at his brother, "I'll go get the first aid kit." He stood up and went to his bag. He unzipped the biggest pocket and pulled out the first aid kit neatly stored at the bottom under all his clothes. Sam made his way back to his brother when a realization struck him. _Pain killers! Damn._ "Dean," he spoke softly, "We ran out of pain killers so I'm gonna run to the liquor store and buy some more. You need anything?"

Dean looked disoriented, his eyelids drooping. He had difficulty breathing and felt like someone was sitting on him, even though his was still against the headboard of the bed. Sam pulled the cover over Dean's lap and grabbed the keys on the table. He turned and said, "I'll be right back, hold on ok?" Sam shut the door and ran to the Impala. He started the car and drove, trying to concentrate on remembering where that damn liquor store was.

---

Dean groaned painfully. His shoulders were sore for some strange reason. He remember Sam leaving, but for what? _Fuck._ He was aching all over. Dean shifted to get more comfortable and felt his ribs throb. He poked at his ribs and gasped loudly. _Definitely broken.__Maybe 2 or 3._He looked at the clock. 7:51. Dean was confused; the whole day had been nothing buy complete chaos. He couldn't remember much, only that Sam found out about his secret, and he hated himself for that. Dean felt his chest muscles tighten all of a sudden. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth so hard he swore he was wearing away a layer of his teeth enamels. He rested his head on the headboard and waited for Sam to get back.

Dean's mind drifted as his chest remained in its constricted state, making it more and more difficult to breathe. He floated in and out of unconsciousness. Each time he regained awareness and opened his eyes, he checked for the brother who had yet to return. _Where the __hell are__ you Sam?_ He contemplated on calling his brother. Dean reached into his jean pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He pressed the _contacts_ button and found Sam. Dean's thumb hovered over the green call button. _Should I?_ He pressed the button and raised the phone to his ear.

As if by some cruel joke, the door swings open with Sam carrying a large brown paper bag. Dean continuously clicked the red cancel button as fast as his fingers allowed him, hoping that the call didn't go through.

"Sorry I took so long Dean. I was on my way back and saw a pharmacy, so I stopped by to get some…" Sam's explanation was cut short by his cell phone ringtone. Dean stared as Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. _Uh-oh._ His brother looked at the caller ID and looked at Dean with a smile. _Don't you dare say __anything._ "You actually called me? What happened?" He took off his jacket and threw it on his bed. Sam began unloading the paper bag, waiting for Dean to respond.

"Just…wondering where you were…'cuz…took long." _Man, do I feel like a dumbass._

"Yea, I got some pain killers for you. Here." He tossed Dean a packet and it landed on his lab. Dean tore open the packet and swallowed the pills dry, waiting for the pills to take effect.

Sam took out a medicine bottle and untwisted the childproof top. "What's that?" Dean asked curiously.

"Well, when I was at the pharmacy, I got you some…" he took a look at the bottle, "… Lysobact…"

"What the hell is it?" Dean wrinkled his eyebrows.

"It's supposed to help you fight infection. Just in case." Sam grabbed a water bottle from the table and went over his brother. He handed Dean 2 pills and the water.

Dean held the medicine in his palm and chucked it, along with a little gulp of water. "Alright, let's get you cleaned up." Sam brought over the bag and sat on the bed near Dean's waist. He looked at his brother. Dean was sweating and his face was gray. His eyes began to droop and his head sagged. "Hey," he placed a hand on Dean's shoulder, "do you want to lie down?"

Dean jolted from the startle, trying to remember just what Sam has just asked him. "Huh?"

"You should lie down," he said already carefully pulling the pillow that was supporting Dean's back. Dean scooted further down the bed and laid his head down on the mattress. Sam lifted his brother's head and placed a pillow under it. Dean let out a labored sigh.

"Ok, I'm just gonna clean out your chest. You sure there's nothing else I need to do?" Sam opened Dean's shirt and cringed at the site of the wound.

"Ribs hurt," he stirred uncomfortably.

Sam cautiously felt both sides of Dean's ribs, constantly checking back at his brother's face. He went further down his ribs and felt Dean's swollen skin. He gently poked at the spot and heard his brother hiss in pain, jerking from Sam's hand. "Found it," Sam got out the first aid kit and opened it. He took about a roll of bandaged wrap. "Tell me if it gets too tight." Dean nodded weakly as Sam began to wrap his ribs. He wrapped around layer after layer until the bandage ran out and sealed it with the metal hooks at the end.

Sam checked back on his brother, who slept not too long ago. His sweating had almost stopped and he knew that the pills worked. Dean was shivering a little and Sam reached over and felt his forehead which was still feverish. _Here we go._ Sam opened the bottle of peroxide and took out a Q-tip. He poured the peroxide into and cup and dipped the cotton swab in it. Sam began wiping away the pus from Dean's chest. He took a clean towel and softly dabbed the wound to pick up the remaining fluid, careful to not put too much pressure on his brother's broken body. He went back with another cotton swab, dipped it into the peroxide, and cleaned over the wound. After Sam was sure he had cleaned the wound as best as possible, he took a large sterilizing gauze and placed it right over Dean's heart. Sam taped the edges down with some medical adhesive tape and stroked the tape softly, making sure that they wouldn't come off. He looked at the clock again. 10:13. Sam closed the bottle of peroxide and put everything back into the first aid kit. He went over to Dean and buttoned his shirt, feeling the warmth from his brother radiating on his hands.

Dean trembled from the sudden temperature drop of his body, each shiver sent pain coursing throughout his upper half. He felt a blanket being pulled from his feet up to his shoulders and then a hand on his cheek. He thought about slapping the hand away or saying some smart remark but was too tired; just thinking about it must have taken ten minutes. He felt a little warm and noticed that the painful tremor fading. Dean drifted into another deep sleep.

---

Sam grabbed the dirty cotton swabs and threw them into a trash can. He went over to his backpack and grabbed a clean set of clothes. Sam went into the bathroom and shut the door quietly. He placed the clothes the rack and looked into the bathroom mirror. There were gray circles under his eyes and his hair was greasy. He brushed his hair with his fingers for a while even though he was going to shower, it was a habit. He took off his clothes and stepped into the tub. Sam closed the glass door and turned on the shower full power letting the steaming water blast on his aching head. He lathered on some cheap motel shampoo and rinsed it. Sam closed his eyes as the shampoo slide down his face and felt the water cooling off. He quickly went through the cycle and got out.

He dried off and put on his new clothes. Grabbing the dirty clothes, he opened the door and threw the clothes in a corner, reminding himself to do the laundry soon. _Yea, before we hunt naked._ By the time he was ready to go to bed, it was 10:45. He slide under the covers and took a final check on Dean.

He was sleeping on his back, covers to his shoulders. Dean was not as pale as before though his breathing was still a little shallow. Sam reached over and turned off the lights. He almost immediately fell asleep.

---

_5 hours later…_

---

Sam awoke from the sound of his ringtone. He sat up and ran to the bathroom to get his phone, afraid that it will wake up his recovering brother.

"Sam?" said a gruff voice on the other end.

"Bobby? What is it?" He was surprised that Bobby would actually call that late…or early.

"Hendrickson's on your trail. I've been tracking him for about a week and I have a gps tracking from your cell phone. He's about half an hour from your motel. Get out now!" he sounded panicked and Sam knew they were in some deep shit.

---

TBC...

---

Sorry I took so long. I was making a video and just finished it. It's on youtube so check it out. My youtube URL thing is on my fanfiction profile. thanks


	5. Chapter 5

Umm…here's the fifth chapter. Sorry for taking so long. The computer broke and I didn't know how to fix it. Yup. Does anyone know where I can buy a 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube. I really don't wanna buy it online, so if you know a store…

---

_Previously…_

_Sam awoke from the sound of his ringtone. He sat up and ran to the bathroom to get his phone, afraid that it will wake up his recovering brother._

_"Sam?" said a gruff voice on the other end._

_"Bobby? What is it?" He was surprised that Bobby would actually call that late…or early._

_"Hendrickson's on your trail. I've been tracking him for about a week and I have a __gps__ tracking from your cell phone. He's about half an hour from your motel. __You boys better get the hell out__!" he sounded panicked and Sam knew they were in some deep shit._

_---_

Sam snapped the phone closed without even saying _bye._ He ran out the bathroom and turned on the light. "Dean, we gotta go," he shook Dean by the shoulders frantically.

Dean stirred and tried to force his eyes open, but his eyelids seemed to be super glued together. His head was spinning and all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. He could hear Sam's voice, but it was hazy. _Just 5 more minutes… _

Sam gave in and began packing their bags. He took all the time they could afford. The younger Winchester grabbed both bags, his jacket, and the keys and bolted out the door. It was freezing out. He quickly spotted the Impala in the empty parking lot and sprinted to the back trunk. Sam unlocked the trunk and threw the bags in, slamming the trunk door shut._ Dean's __gonna__ kill me… _He jogged back to their room. _Hendrickson could be here any minute. Move your ass Sam!_ He entered the room and immediately felt the thick air rush over him. "Dean, you gotta wake up," he went over to the bed next to his brother. Sam put his hand on Dean's shoulder and shook gently.

Dean refused to wake up. He felt Sam near him, but he was so freaking tired. Confused and exhausted, he couldn't make out what Sam was saying. _Probably nothing important…_ His thoughts came ridiculously slow. The muffled voice grew louder, but he somehow blocked it out. He drifted back and forth. _Only…been…__minute…__jeeeez__… _

Frustrated, Sam yanked the blankets from on top of his brother. "Come on Dean, Hendrickson's is almost…" he was short by something. He couldn't make out what it was so he stayed still. _What the hell is that?_ Then it clicked. _Sirens!_

"Dean! If you don't wake up I swear to God I'll sell your fucking car!" As if by magic, Dean jerked awake.

Sam put a hand on Dean's back and helped him sit up. His hair was lop-sided and he had the stupidest look on his face. "Huh?" he croaked softly.

"We gotta go, now!" Sam helped his brother up from the bed and rushed him out. They reached the door and were about to head out when Dean stopped all of a sudden.

"Wait, why the hell are we leaving at," he squinted back at the clock and faced his brother again, "3 in the morning!?!" He seemed to surprise himself. The sirens blared louder and louder. _Hendrickson?__ What the…_ He had no time to think. Sam quickly pushed him out the door and the two ran towards the Impala. Dean ran as fast as his legs could carry him, each step made his injured ribs rub against his chest. The sirens grew louder as Hendrickson came closer. Sam helped Dean settle into the passenger's side and shut the door. He ran around the rear of the car and slid in. He started the car and slammed the door closed. "Whoa Sammy, take it easy on my baby."

Sam rolled his eyes and floored it. The tires screeched the smell of burning rubber filled the air. He rounded the back of the motel and took off.

"Goodbye Blue Rose Inn," Dean said looking back in the passenger mirror. He saw the red and blue light flashing and felt his heart beat a little faster. He shifted in his seat and groaned. He rubbed his chest and sighed.

Sam gripped the steering wheel tight, knuckles whitened and tense. He drove as fast as he could, trying to avoid an accident at the same time; glancing at his brother when he heard a sigh. Sam glimpsed at his brother, then back at the road again. "You alright?" He waited for an answer, realizing that there wouldn't be any. Sam knew his brother more than anyone and so he answered for him. "Why don't you get some sleep, ok?" He did a double take at his brother and the road.

Dean shifted again and felt his chest tensing up again. He massaged his sternum with one hand, hoping to steer clear of the pain that usually followed. Sam's eyes were on him, watching everything. Dean's breath came out it short gasps. He gritted his teeth as the pain swarmed over him. Dean clenched his eyes shut and turned his head away from his brother.

"Dean? What's wrong?" Sam kept an eye on the wheel as he reached over and placed a hand on Dean's shoulder.

_1…2…3…4…5…_

He counted the seconds until the pain faded into an uncomfortable pressure on his chest. Dean almost thought his lungs gave up on him as the small gasps became a loud wheeze. He struggled to catch his breath.

Sam kept an eye on his brother and waited for some smart ass retort. "Dean?"

"It's nothing," he glanced back at the side view mirror again and was fairly alarmed, "step on Sam." It came out in a whisper but Sam could feel the panic in his voice.

Sam sped up even more, yet at the same time he checked up on his brother every so often. "So, where to?" Sam really didn't care where they were going; he just wanted to start a conversation just so he could watch his brother with an excuse.

"How 'bout New York," Dean said with a little smirk.

Sam's eyebrows shot up, "New York? Why the hell would we go there?"

"I dunno. Hendrickson would never find us a place _that_ crowded." Dean slouched further into his seat, ready to go back to sleep.

_New York. At least that'll give me some time to figure this thing out. We've never had a hunt in New York. Maybe Bobby might find something before then. __Could be a chance for Dean to finally get some rest._After a long moment of rethinking the pros and cons, Sam finally gave in."Alright, we'll go."

By then, Dean was already half asleep. "Really?" he said, but still being a little drowsy, it came out more like _Huuuh_

"Yea, but we're not hunting,"

"Fine," Dean was about to go to sleep when the last two seconds of his conversation replayed itself in his mind. "Wait, what? Why aren't we hunting?"

"Dean, you're sick. I don't want you to get any worse."

Dean sighed. "I'm not gonna _get any worse_. Why are always doing this?" Dean shifted in his seat, facing his brother.

"Because you never take care of yourself! You don't give a fuck whether you live or die! Hell, I'm always the one picking up after you! How would you feel if I was this reckless? " Sam practically blew up. He gripped the wheel even harder. "I wished Dad never got us into this shithole."

Dean felt his heart crumble. "I don't want you to worry so much Sam," he whispered and turned to face the passenger window. He watched the trees past by and tried to count them.

Sam clenched his jaw as hard as he could. He didn't want this situation to get any worse. _I might as well shut the hell up before I lose Dean, too. _

---

After what seemed like days of driving, they finally made it to the border of Missouri. They've driven across half the state of Arkansas and were merging onto Missouri. Sam looked over at his brother who was still in the same form as he was hours ago; he was hunched over, head resting on the base of the window. Sam was ready to crash. He hasn't eaten in far too long and was running on what was left of a cup of week-old coffee. Sam wanted to wake Dean up and ask him if he wanted to stop at a motel. He sure as hell did. He tried to say something, but nothing came out. Half of his body was holding himself back. The urge to call to Dean was pulling on him, yet he was drowning in his own guilt.

_"Because you never take care of yourself!__ You don't give a __fuck whether __you live or die! Hell, I'm always the one picking up after you! How would you feel if I was this reckless? "_

Sam kept driving. He ignored the fact that he is dead tired and almost crashes the car every 5 minutes. _Now…now……now…………..now… _Every time Sam tries to call out to his brother, he chickens out. Fighting his own mind, Sam kept driving for another half hour. Suddenly, a wave of BLANK smothered over him; he couldn't take any more stalling.

"Dean," _should I ask him? He still may be mad at me. If I stop now he might just forget. _Sam took a deep breath. "Dean, why don't we pull over for the night? There's a motel not too far up the street." There was no response from Dean, which meant that he was still fast asleep. _All that trouble over nothing. Keep it together Sam. _Sam drove past a motel sign and entered the parking lot. The neon lights on the vacant sign were busted. Sam killed the engine and sat in the car. He looked over at his brother to find him still sleeping. _Should I wake him? _

Sam decided to let his brother rest for a little longer. He got out the car and headed for the main office.

Inside, a guy in his mid forties sat behind an out wooden desk eating a microwavable TV dinner. Sam crinkled his nose at the smell.

"1 room 2 beds," he said routinely and pulled out his wallet.

The man scribbled something down in his notepad and ripped it out. He took a tack and stuck the paper to the wall. "It's $125 a night. How long you stayin'?"

"I'll pay you by the night," Sam handed him one of his credit cards.

The man took the card and looked at the scribbled signature. He shrugged his shoulders and grumbled, "Whatever." He swiped the card through the machine and pressed some numbers on the pad. The machine beeped and a layered piece of paper came out. He ripped the paper and got out a pen. The man handed it to Sam. "Sign here."

Sam jotted down an illegible name and slid it back to the guy. He took the white paper on top and handed Sam the yellow copy. The man grabbed a key marked "29" on it from a rack and handed it to Sam. "Thanks," he said unintentionally and left the office. Sam looked at the paper as he headed for the Impala. He crumpled the paper and jammed it into his pocket. As he got closer to the car, he noticed that Dean was still sleeping. Avoiding a grumpy Dean, Sam went around the back and popped the trunk. He grabbed both bags with one arm and closed the trunk softly with the other. Sam brought the bags to room 29. He shoved the key him and turned vigorously until it opened. Sam flicked the light switch and dropped the bags on the floor.

The room was warm and had a lived-in feel to it. The carpet was worn down and had dark spots all over the floor from where gum and miscellaneous items were dropped. The sheets looked and smelled like it hadn't been washed in years; not liked he ever expected them to be. Deep down, Sam still had that itch to be _normal _again; 2.5 kids and a big house with a white picket fence. The dirty motels, breakfast in bars, and life on the run had made him realize how great a normal life would be. If anything, Sam wished that his physic power allowed him to turn back time, for reasons he didn't dare reminisce.

Almost forgetting everything, Sam hurried back outside. He opened the passenger door to wake his brother. Sam reached over to shake Dean's shoulder but pulled his hand away when he saw his brother stir in the seat. Dean let out a soft moan.

"Dean?" He turned his head slightly towards Sam's gentle voice but remained asleep. "Dean," Sam said a little more stern this time. The back of his hand automatically reached for Dean's cheek. Dean's body temperature was dangerously high, despite how cold it was outside. Sam placed two fingers at the carotid artery and waited quietly for a pulse; it was there, weak and slow. Sam shook his brother's shoulder and called out his name. "Dean, let's get you inside alright?" Sam shook a little harder until Dean's eyes began to flutter.

"Mmm," Dean opened his eyes to find his concerned little brother staring right at him.

"C'mon," he said and slowly pulled Dean out of the Impala. Dean's legs dragged behind him as Sam pulled an arm over his shoulder and supported his weight. He leaned heavily on his little brother as the two headed inside the room 29. Dean sluggishly crumpled on top of the nearest bed. "Don't go back to sleep yet, Dean," Sam said, closing the door behind him. "I need to get that fever down." Dean mumbled something incoherent and buried his face on a pillow, regardless of the old people smell.

Sam shuffled through his bag and got out the bottle of Lysobact and twisted of the top. He rattled the bottle until two white tablets fell out. Sam kept the tablets in his hand and remembered to get more water and something to cool Dean's fever down. "Be right back," he said, heading out the door. In the corner of his eye, Dean lifted his head slowly from the pillow in acknowledgement.

Sam shut the door and looked over to his left down the hallway. _Nothing. _He turned to the right and saw several vending machines. Sam quickly scanned the window. He pulled out a crumpled five dollar bill from his back pocket, straightened it and slid it into the slot. Sam pressed the number for 2 water bottles, ignoring the change that came out the little opening. He glanced over the other machines, one of them being an ice machine. He took out some more bills and bought a small bag of ice.

Dean jerked at the sound of the door slamming as his brother returned. "Sorry," Sam said, realizing that he startled his brother. "Got some water," he laid the ice down and kneeled over at Dean's bed. "Here," Sam handed Dean the pills, which were a little soggy after holding them so long. Dean barely pushed himself up, still in his prone position. He accepted the pills and popped them in his mouth. Sam opened the bottle for him and he took small sips.

"Now can I go back to sleep?" he asked drowsily through the pillow.

Sam chuckled, "Like you haven't already been doing?" He pulled out a thin shirt from his bag and opened the bag of ice. Placing the ice in his shirt he twisted the top and went over to Dean. "Turn over," he said above Dean's bed.

"No," came a voice from inside the pillow.

"C'mon Dean, I promise you can go back to sleep after."

Sam waited, almost doubting that his brother would ever turn over. He was almost persuaded to flip Dean over himself when Dean started to roll over on his back.

Dean's eyes were still closed and he let out a tired breath. "Happy?" his eyebrows rose.

Sam placed the shirt on Dean's forehead. "Your ribs still hurt?" he said trying to pass some time.

"No," Dean seemed aggravated. Sam left the ice on his brother as he went over to his duffle bag. In the first aid kit, he took out a small thermometer. He came over to Dean and stuck it into his mouth. Dean closed his eyes; he was in no mood to fight Sam now. Sam took out the thermometer. _101__° _He looked down at Dean who had fell asleep again. Sam reached over and turned off the lamp. _Might as well take a shower now. _He dug around in his bag for some clean clothes. He pulled out a shirt and boxers and headed for the bathroom. He closed the door first before he turned on the light to avoid waking Dean up. Sam looked in the mirror for awhile, just thinking about nothing. He turned on the shower and pulled the top lid of the toilet down. Sitting there, he waiting for the water to heat up. _Wonder if Bobby found anything wrong with Dean. _Before he knew it, the room was steamy and moist. He stripped down and got into the tub.

_This isn't supposed to happen again. Not to us. Not after all of this. _He tried to scrub out all his anger._ I never wanted this. But Dad did. Now he's dead and we're still hunting. No one cares about us__; why do we have to keep saving them? I've lost everything. _Sam fisted the tile wall. He laid his head into his hand. _All I have left is Dean, and he's leaving me. _A stream of tears rolled down his cheek and joined the shower water.

---

Sam got out of the bathroom and turned off the light. He dove into the bed and slowly pulled the covers over. Sam glanced over at his brother. He watched for as long as his eyes would open.

---

It only felt like a couple minutes that he just finished showering when someone started shaking him.

"S-Sammy."

His eyes refused to open, but the panic in Dean's voice gave him a boost of strength. He cracked open his eyes to find his brother hovering over him. He sat up and grabbed Dean by the shoulders. "Dean, what's wrong?"

Dean pulled Sam into a hug. He was breathing rapidly.

Sam could feel Dean's heat radiating from his body. He was sweating violently and his breaths came out in gasps. "W-Where's Dad, Sammy?"

That _word_ killed him. Sam ignored the question. "Hey, it's okay. Lay down, Dean." Sam helped Dean into his bed. He ran over to the bathroom and turned on the light. He left the door opened just enough for a little light to show. Sam went back over to his brother. Dean was still breathing awkwardly. "Hey. Calm down. Just take it easy," Sam laid his hand gently on Dean's chest in attempt to slow his breathing down. He wiped the sweat off of Dean's forehead.

"Sammy," Dean panted.

"I'm right here, Dean," he brushed Dean's hair. Sam felt Dean's neck for a pulse. Dean's heart was beating; small quick beats, too quick. Sam rubbed the back of Dean's neck. "It's alright."

Dean was burning up. Sam put the thermometer into Dean's mouth again. _104°. Not good._

---

_TBC…_

---

Yay. Supernatural's been renewed for season 4. Hooray


	6. Chapter 6

Umm… trying to go as fast as I can. I might go a little faster during spring break…

SPRING BREAK!! IT'S IN LIKE, 2 WEEKS!! I JUST ATE 3 BAGS OF SKITTLES!! I LOOOOOOOOVE SKITTLES!! YAY! HIGH FIVE! D P D P D P D P

---

_Previously…_

_"Sammy," Dean panted._

_"I'm right here, Dean," he brushed Dean's hair. Sam felt Dean's neck for a pulse. Dean's heart was beating; small quick beats, too quick. Sam rubbed the back of Dean's neck. "It's alright."_

_Dean was burning up. Sam put the thermometer into Dean's mouth again. __104°. Not good._

---

"Sammy," Dean gasped out, "tell dad…I-I'm not…doing so good." Dean kept his eyes closed, as if he was sleep talking.

Sam couldn't take it anymore. As much as he hated his father, he also loved him, and being reminded of his dad brought tears to his eyes.

_"__ I'm__ sorry that the last time I was with him I tried to pick a fight. I'm sorry that I spent most of my life angry at him. I mean, for all I know, he died thinking tha__t I hate him…__I miss him, man; he adds tears in his eyes.__"_

"Dean! You gotta snap out of this," he shook his brother by the shoulders. "Come on, wake up, damn it!" He shook ever harder.

"Tired…" Dean whispered out. The tone in his voice showed Sam his vulnerability.

Sam immediately regretted yelling at his brother. "I gotta cool you down first. Can you stay awake for me?" Dean nodded, his eyes drooping a little. Sam picked up the bundled up shirt that he had used. He untangled it and a couple of ice cubes fell out. Sam scooped a handful of ice, or rather what was left in the bag, and rolled the shirt up again. He came over to Dean and placed it on his forehead. Dean was shivering a little, yet gallons of sweat seemed to be pouring from his face and body.

"You cold?" Sam really didn't expect an answer by the looks of Dean's pale face. He wondered what could have been causing Dean's fever. _Infection.__Of course._"I need to check your chest, alright?" Again, no expectations. Sam carefully pulled away the thin shirt. He had to take it off somehow, but the shirt stuck to Dean's chest from sweating so much. "Help me," he said as he tried to pull the shirt off.

Dean whimpered in pain as Sam struggled with the shirt. Sam finally gave up and went over to his bag. He got out the first aid kit and brought it over. Sam snapped the hinges and got out a pair of scissors. He cut the shirt in half.

Normally, Dean would say something like _"You bitch, that was my favorite shirt."_ So Sam looked at Dean for some kind of retort, but Dean's eyes remained closed. "You alright?" he said, checking up on his brother. Dean just moaned and shifted a little. Sam pulled the shirt flaps apart to the side and unraveled the bandage.

He checked and probed around the wound. _Nothing.__ No infection, just a spontaneous fever._ Dean's wound was as clean as it has been since he had cleaned it. _What now? _ Sam slowly tugged the shirt loose. He lifted Dean's arms to free the shirt. He threw the shirt on the floor and grabbed another shirt in his bag. He ran over into the bathroom and yanked off the small towel from the rack. He came to his brother and kneeled at the edge of the bed.

Dean was still sweating and his breathing was labored. Sam wiped Dean's forehead with the towel. He moved down to Dean's chest and began to wipe the sweat off.

"…thirsty…" Dean whispered, his voice dry and raspy.

_Of course, Dean must have lost at least a gallon of sweat. _"Yea, just wait here," Sam went over to the pile of dirty clothes and found his jeans. He dug through the pocket and got some money and his phone. He quickly hustled out the door. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he flipped out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

The ring on the other end felt like years until it was picked up.

"Singer," a gruff voice said on the other end.

"Bobby, did you find anything on Dean?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't think it's our kind of thing. Sorry, kiddo," he said apologetically. "Is he getting any worse?" He worried for the worst.

"Yea, I don't know what's going on, but he's really burning up and I thought it was just infection but when I check…"

"Hey, calm down Sam." Bobby said in a calming voice. "Just tell me what happened. Maybe I can pile something up."

Sam sighed heavily. He wiped his face with his palm. "Well, we were doing a favor for Deacon, dad's old friend. Story goes, the prison was haunted by some nurse, and lucky winner gets a heart attack. Guess she got to Dean before we could torch the corpse. Ever since, Dean's been having heart problems." He paused a little, refusing to believe that all of this was _actually _happening. "I don't know what to do Bobby, Dean just suddenly had a fever and I don't know what's wrong with him."

Bobby remembered the last time Sam and Dean had been hurt, and every time he'd wish he could be sick _for_ them. He loved those boys, always did and always will. At times, he felt he loved them even more that John did.

"_You're like a father to me!"_

The words echoed in his ears, constricting his heart. Bobby would do anything for those boys just to have a normal life, away from demons and hunting. If it could have been anyone, Bobby was determined to help Dean.

"Look Sam, I'll do some research; see what I can dig up. In the mean time, you get some rest, son," Bobby reassured. He knew Sam would always stress out about these kinds of things, so he took some of the load.

"Alright, thanks a lot Bobby," he waited for Bobby to say _bye_ and snapped the phone shut.

Sam exhaled a deep breath and tried to relax. _No use in helping Dean if I'm half dead._ He turned his head to the side and cracked, and then he cracked the other.

_"…thirsty…" _He remembered Dean saying. Sam headed over to the vending machine. He put a five dollar bill into the opening and waiting for the machine to eat it up. It did, but the bill came right back out. _Stupid crumpled old money. _He tried straightening the bill and slid it in again. Sam punched in the memorized code and waiting for the machine to rumble and drop a water bottle. A dollar and some quarters came out the bottom and Sam took the water bottle and the dollar.

When Sam had return, Dean was still in the same supine position. With the towel, he wiped some more of the sweat that had formed on Dean's face and torso. Sam picked up the new shirt that he dropped and woke up his brother.

"Hey, Dean," he said softly," I gotta put this shirt on you." Dean moaned in refusal. Sam looped an arm around Dean's waist and helped him sit up. Dean grunted and his face scrunched up in pain.

Sam tried to be as cautious as he could, avoiding Dean's injured ribs.

" 'M tired Sam…" Dean complained weakly.

"Yea, I know. Just help me put this shirt on you." He said sympathetically.

Sam pulled the shirt over Dean's face. He managed to get his arms out of the sleeves with Dean's limp body leaning over his for support. "Hey, drink some water first Dean," Sam said when he realized that his brother was ready to crash. Sam twisted the cap off and held it to his mouth.

Dean took long gulps, and being as thirsty as he was, he would have finished the whole bottle had not Sam pulled the water bottle away. Sam kept a steady arm around Dean's waist as he lowered his brother down into the bed. "Get, some rest," he said feeling Dean's cheek.

Dean's face was flourished and sweat still dripped from his forehead. Sam took the thermometer from the first aid kit and stuck it into Dean's mouth. _103.4__°. __Not bad. _

Sam looked over on the other side where the shirt of ice was laid. He grabbed it and placed it back on Dean's forehead. Dean's breathing had almost evened out the chances of his fever lasting were dropping dramatically.

Sam remembered what Bobby had told him. He was getting too tired and went over to the bathroom door and turned off the light. He stumbled into the other bed and let his eyes sag. Sam began drifting off but abruptly was pulled back into reality.

"…Sammy…" Dean murmured.

Sam sat up and tried to find his brother in the dark. "What is it Dean," he said as quietly as he could.

"…go…sleep…" he slurred.

Sam smiled. _He woke me up to tell me to go to sleep. _He chuckled softly and laid back down. _I'm gonna help you Dean. I promise._

---

He woke to the sound of silence and sat up. A wave of dizziness washed over him and he rubbed his chest painfully. Dean looked over at his little brother, who was sprawled out across the bed, half the sheets on the floor. He got to his feet and felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. Dean dragged himself into the bathroom and silently washed his face. He was lightheaded was about to tip over. Dean leaned onto the wall as he slowly made his way out.

On the bed, Sam sat there, greeting him.

"Should go back to sleep," Dean wheezed as the pain in his chest intensified.

"I'm ok," Sam assured. "Are you hungry? I can go and buy you something to eat. Or do you want some coffee?" Sam said and stood up. He snatched the keys that were left on the night stand and was ready to take off.

"Dude, calm down." Dean said. "How about you stay here and I'll get us some grub."

"What?" Sam questioned. Despite the fact that he was on the verge of collapse, he knew that Dean wasn't off any better. "Dean, what's going on?"

"Sam, you look like hell. Why don't you just get some sleep?" He placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "There's a bar down the street. It'll be like half an hour."

"You alright?"

"Always." Dean smirked and took the keys from Sam's hand. "Go back to sleep. I'll be back before you wake up."

And Sam believed every word that Dean said.

---

_TBC…_


	7. adoption

I apologize for not updating. My computer is on the fritz and I don't know when I will be able to update considering that the screen freezes up every 5 minutes. Also, I have the rest of the story on paper but unfortunately, I cannot upload it due to computer issues.

Instead, I decided to put this story up for adoption.

If you're interested, give me a message or review or something. No questions asked.

My email is : the-kaz-2y5 at yahoo

replace "-" with real underscore. no spaces

Peace.


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